Valentine

"Nickleson!"

"I'm sorry sir I don'tknow what to tell you," explained the silver-haired man, sat at hiswooden desk on a large black leather seat, "I have no idea whynumbers have dropped. On the bright side, the couples are longerlasting."

"That's even worse," the screen shouted, "if the relationships are lasting longer then that's less single people, less customers and less money."

"Yes sir. I apologise sir. I will find out the problem and solve it immediately."

"I should think so. Don't make me regret opening a branch in London. Let alone putting you in charge."

"You wont sir. I apologise sir."

"Good. Now go and make sad people temporarily happy." With that final...motivational...speech, the Raoul Silva on the screen hung up and left Nickleson to run apart of his company.

He got out of his chair and began to walk down the corridors of the building. Claudius Nickleson was the head of the London branch of Grant corp., global matchmaking company. Whilst it started out meaning well, it very quickly became about money. Short-term happiness to keep reviews good and money coming in. Everything was going fine until relationships began to last longer and the profit began to decrease. Now he was tasked with discovering why and stopping it...not that his workers could know. They all believed that they were 'helping the sad find love'-pathetic.

"Look, Kirsty," Claudius heard one of his workers say, "when my girlfriend and I were arguing as much as you two are- we went to couple's therapy. I don't think it's a reason for you two to have broken up but if you truly believe it was the right decision then come in tomorrow and I'll see what I can find. How's that?...No problem. I'm happy I could help."

With his eyebrows furrowed, he continued his journey down the never-ending hallway on a quest for caffeine. Whilst in the small office-kitchen, he over-heard a conversation. A conversation that would put everything in to perspective. A conversation...with Victor.

Victor was one of the newer employees but what they lacked in experience they made up for through their unmatched cognizance. Claudius remembered the inexplicably good interview, the incredible references and the more than perfect trial week. However, it hadn't taken him long to see the instinct that Victor had when it came to other people. Not only could he seethe effect they had on the customers but also with the staff. Victor had the ability to get their co-workers to just...talk. Claudius had watched over them during their employment and was astounded by the openness that his staff had with them. Yet nobody knew much about Victor. Nobody even knew where they lived.

"So let me get this straight," inquired Victor, "Hannah is sleeping with Marcus because her boyfriend broke up with her."

"Yeah basically," explained Tony Pierce- an ad. developer from the 6th floor.

"Bull."

"What?"

"I said bull. There is no boyfriend."

"But...But..."

"Yeah. Those two have been after each other since the minute they both saw each other. There was no boyfriend- it was just a cover for the two of them to get together and not have everyone involved."

"But...But..."

"You already said that."

Hannah and Marcus- why did those names sound familiar?

"Mr. Nickleson," exclaimed Tony, "what are you doing here?" Claudius hadn't realised that the more invested he'd gotten, the more he'd peered around the corner- consequently getting him caught.